Rail anchor spreader

Abstract

A railway anchor spreader has a rotating plate on each side of each rail, with the bottom of each rotating plate having a pair of jaws. The tie plates are lowered until the jaws strike the ballast, and the tie plates are then pivoted first in one direction, and then in the opposite direction, by a hydraulic cylinder located near the top of the anchor spreader plates. The jaws will thereby strike the tie plates, first pushing them in one direction and then in the opposite direction, to move the rail anchors away from the tie. The shape of the jaws ensures that pivoting the anchor spreader plate will not cause the jaws to strike the tie as well as the tie plate. A rail clamp capable of grabbing rails of various sizes is also provided.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A rail anchor spreader for a railway, the airway having a pair of rails supported on ties, and held in place on said ties by a tie plate between the rail and the tie, and by a pair of rail anchors, each of said rail anchors securing one rail at one side of one tie, said rail anchor spreader comprising: 
       four plates, each of said plates having a pivot, a top portion, and a bottom edge with a pair of jaws, each of said jaws having a first surface facing the other of said jaws, a second surface facing away from the other of said jaws, and a corner between said first and second surfaces, each of said first surfaces being substantially parallel to an arc radius passing between said pivot and approximately halfway between said jaws, said corner defining a point on each of said jaws farthest from said pivot; and  
       means for simultaneously and reciprocally rotating said plates secured to said top portion.  
     
     
       2. The rail anchor spreader according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said second surfaces defines a convex curved surface. 
     
     
       3. The rail anchor spreader according to  claim 1 , wherein said means for simultaneously and reciprocally rotating said plates comprise at least one hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
       4. The rail anchor spreader according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for raising and for lowering said rail anchor spreader. 
     
     
       5. The rail anchor spreader according to  claim 4 , wherein said means for raising and for lowering said rail anchor spreader comprise: 
       a lever arm having a first end, a second end, and a fulcrum therebetween, said first end being connected to said rail anchor spreader; and  
       a raise/lower hydraulic cylinder connected to said second end.  
     
     
       6. An anchor spreader vehicle for a railway, the railway having a pair of rails supported on ties, and held in place on said ties by a tie plate between the rail and the tie, and by a pair of rail anchors, each of said rail anchors securing one rail at one side of one tie, the rail further having a ball with a pair of lower corners, said anchor spreader vehicle comprising: 
       a rail clamp, comprising:  
       a pair of arms, each of said arms terminating in a tip, said tips being dimensioned and configured to engage a lower corner of the ball of the rail;  
       an anchor spreader, comprising:  
       four plates, each of said plates being pivotally mounted on said vehicle, a top portion, and a bottom edge with a pair of jaws, each of said jaws having a first surface facing the other of said jaws, a second surface facing away from the other of said jaws, and a corner between said first and second surfaces, each of said first surfaces being substantially parallel to an arc radius passing between said pivot and approximately halfway between said jaws, said corner defining a point on each of said jaws furthest from said pivot; and  
       means for simultaneously and reciprocally rotating said plates secured between said top portion and said vehicle.  
     
     
       7. The vehicle according to  claim 6 , wherein each of said second surfaces defines a convex curved surface. 
     
     
       8. The vehicle according to  claim 6 , wherein said means for simultaneously and reciprocally rotating said plates comprise at least one hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
       9. The vehicle according to  claim 6 , further comprising means for raising and for lowering said anchor spreader. 
     
     
       10. The rail anchor spreader according to  claim 9 , wherein said means for raising and for lowering said rail anchor spreader comprise: 
       a lever arm having a first end, a second end, and a fulcrum therebetween, said first end being connected to said rail anchor spreader; and  
       a raise/lower hydraulic cylinder connected to said second end.  
     
     
       11. The vehicle according to  claim 6 , further comprising a rail clamp having a pair of arms, each of said arms terminating in a tip, said tips being dimensioned and configured to engage a lower corner of the ball of the rail. 
     
     
       12. The vehicle according to  claim 11 , wherein said tips are dimensioned and configured to grasp the lower corner of the ball of the rail, directly above a pair of joint bars. 
     
     
       13. The vehicle according to  claim 11 , wherein said tips define a tip surface, said tip surface facing upward at an angle. 
     
     
       14. A method of spreading rail anchors within a railway, the railway having a pair of rails supported on ties, and held in place on said ties by a tie plate between the rail and the tie, and by a pair of rail anchors, each of said rail anchors securing one rail at one side of one tie, said ties being surrounded by ballast, said rail anchor spreader comprising: 
       providing an anchor spreader, having four plates, each of said plates having a pivot, a top portion, and a bottom edge with a pair of jaws, each of said jaws having a first surface facing the other of said jaws, a second surface facing away from the other of said jaws, and a corner between said first and second surfaces, each of said first surfaces being substantially parallel to an arc radius passing between said pivot and approximately halfway between said jaws, said corner defining a point on each of said jaws furthest from said pivot;  
       positioning said anchor spreader above a tie;  
       lowering said anchor spreader until said jaws contact said ballast;  
       rotating said four plates in a first direction, striking the tie plates with said jaws, pushing the tie plates into one of the two anchors adjacent to each tie plate; and  
       rotating said four plates in a second direction, striking the tie plates with said jaws, pushing the tie plate into the other of the two anchors adjacent to each tie plate.  
     
     
       15. A jaw for use with a rail anchor spreader for a railway, the railway having a pair of rails supported on ties, and held in place on said ties by a tie plate between the rail and the tie, and by a pair of rail anchors, each of said rail anchors securing one rail at one side of one tie, the rail anchor spreader having four rotatably mounted plates, each plate having a bottom jaw-attachment portion and a pivot, said jaw comprising: 
       top having means for mounting said jaw on a bottom jaw attachment portion of one of the plates;  
       a first, substantially vertical, surface, dimensioned and configured to strike a rail anchor;  
       a second surface opposite said first surface;  
       a corner between said first and second surfaces, jaws, said corner defining a point on said jaws farthest from said pivot; and  
       the jaw being structured to strike a tie plate without striking a tie upon pivoting of the plate.  
     
     
       16. The jaw according to  claim 15 , wherein said second surface defines a convex curved surface. 
     
     
       17. The jaw according to  claim 15 , wherein said means for mounting said jaw on a bottom jaw attachment portion of one of the plates includes at least one aperture dimensioned and configured to receive a bolt.